Istanbul Process: Stability and Prosperity in the ‘Heart of Asia’ through Building Confidence and Shared Regional Interests ‘HEART OF ASIA’ MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE - ALMATY 26 April 2013 CONFERENCE DECLARATION Preamble 1. The third ‘Heart of Asia’ Ministerial Conference in the framework of the Istanbul Process, which was launched on 2 November 2011 in Istanbul, Turkey, took place on 26 April 2013 in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, H.E. Mr Nursultan Nazarbayev, inaugurated the Conference, which was co-chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, H.E. Dr. Zalmai Rassoul, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, H.E. Mr Erlan Idrissov. 2. The Conference was attended by 14 ministerial and high-level delegations from the ‘Heart of Asia’ countries, 16 ministerial and high-level delegations from supporting countries of the Istanbul Process, as well as 12 high-level delegations from international and regional organizations. 3. We, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and high-ranking representatives of the ‘Heart of Asia’ countries, joined by supporting states and regional and international organizations, meeting at this time of great importance for Afghanistan and the region, believe that the Istanbul Process is an important regional platform of dialogue and interaction for consolidating the efforts of the countries of the region aimed at promoting security, confidence and result-oriented cooperation. We reiterate our adherence to the principles and commitments, contained in the outcome documents of the Istanbul Conference (2 November 2011) and the Kabul Ministerial (14 June 2012), including the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, and the central and impartial role of the United Nations. We consider those principles and commitments as the foundation for continued and broadening co-operation in 1 the framework of the Istanbul Process. We express our gratitude to the Government of Turkey for initiating the Istanbul Process by hosting its launching conference, as well as the Government of Afghanistan for leading the process since its initiation and hosting its first follow up at ministerial level. 4. We recognize and appreciate that the Istanbul Process completed its first step as we adopt the Implementation Plans of the Confidence Building Measures(CBMs) endorsed at the senior officials meetings of Baku, Kabul and Almaty, attached as annexes to this Declaration. We also commit that, building on the steps taken so far, we will take the Istanbul Process to the next level: the delivery of concrete results through implementation of CBMs and the consolidation of common interests through political consultations and dialogue. Political Cooperation Principles of cooperation 5. Recalling the understandings and agreements reached in the previous two Ministerial Conferences, we reaffirm our commitment to building greater confidence, trust and cooperation within the region. We believe regional cooperation must be based on basic principles and norms of international law including respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, and the principles enshrined in the founding documents of the Istanbul Process adopted in Istanbul (on 2 November 2011) and in Kabul (on 14 June 2012). Convergence of regional interests 6. Our security is indivisible. We believe the region plays a vital role in ensuring a stable, peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan, while long-term stability and prosperity in the region require peace and stability in Afghanistan. The international community as well as the region have a shared responsibility and common interest to work together for the sake of Afghanistan and the region as a whole. Meanwhile, we believe that the 2 support of non-regional countries and international and regional organizations involved in the Istanbul Process is essential to the success of this shared effort. We welcome efforts of the international community to promote a stable, independent, prosperous and democratic Afghanistan as also stated in the Astana Commemorative Declaration of the OSCE Summit 2010. 7. Our shared interests are best served by cooperation, rather than competition, in the ‘Heart of Asia’. We will therefore use the Istanbul Process to build a common platform of shared regional interests, as well as a secure and prosperous ‘Heart of Asia’ region where Afghanistan has a crucial role as a land-bridge, connecting South Asia, Central Asia, Eurasia, and the Middle East. Security and the fight against terrorism 8. The first priority and area of common concern is security. Contemporary security challenges and threats have a global character and impact and the only possible way to effectively counter them is for states to work together according to agreed principles and mechanisms of cooperation. In this context, as representatives of a region that is most affected by common security challenges, we are determined to work together through the Istanbul Process to respond to our common security challenges and threats. 9. Recalling our shared understandings from the previous ‘Heart of Asia’ Ministerial Conferences, we reiterate our agreement that terrorism, extremism and separatism and linkages among them pose a serious challenge to many of our countries as well as the region and beyond, which can only be addressed through our concerted efforts. We strongly condemn the use of violence, including suicide bombings and the targeting of public spaces, because the vast majority of victims of terrorist and extremist violence in the region are innocent civilians, including women and children. In this context, we call on regional and non-regional countries to step up their counter terrorism efforts at the national and multilateral levels, particularly with a focus on dismantling of terrorist and organized crimes sanctuaries and safe 3 havens, and disrupting the financing, training and equipping of terrorist activities, and the illicit cross-border movement of lethal and explosive substances. 10. As a matter of priority, we are committed to develop and foster national and/or collective measures to monitor and prevent the illicit cross-border movement of arms, munitions, and lethal and explosive substances and precursors which are used by terrorist networks with terrible consequences for civilian populations. Narcotics and organized crime 11. We also reaffirm our commitment to strengthen cooperation with Afghanistan, as well as other regional and international partners, to counter the threat to peace, security and stability in the region and globally posed by the illicit production, trade, trafficking and consumption of narcotics drugs, in accordance with the principle of common and shared responsibility. We also recognize the sacrifices made by the ‘Heart of Asia’ countries in the fight against the trafficking of narcotics and their precursors. 12. We recognize that both terrorism and the narcotics challenges are linked to other forms of organized crime, including the illegal trade of arms and munitions, the existence of cross-border smuggling networks, human trafficking and smuggling of natural resources, illegal money transfer and laundering and organized corruption. Therefore, in the interest of a more secure region, and to help our common fight against terrorism and the narcotics trade, we affirm our strong determination to prevent the activities of organized crime networks in the region through enhanced bilateral and multilateral cooperation. Refugees 13. The situation of refugees, which is primarily a humanitarian and development issue, poses a serious challenge to the socio-economic conditions of some ‘Heart of Asia’ countries. In this context, we fully support the creation of conditions conducive to the voluntary and safe return of refugees in a dignified and orderly manner and their sustainable 4 reintegration. Recognizing, in particular, the enormous pressures and sacrifices that Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran have had to endure to host millions of Afghan refugees for the past three decades, we call for continued international support to refugee-hosting countries. Lack of infrastructure 14. The absence of infrastructure and established systems to underpin interaction, exchange and economic activity between and among regional countries poses a strategic impediment to the vision of connectivity in the region that the Istanbul Process promotes. To mitigate this problem, we reiterate our call for greater confidence building among countries of the region, and accelerated implementation of measures that would facilitate travel and harmonize trade and transit procedures, as well as other forms of legitimate interaction among countries. In particular, the timely implementation of large-scale infrastructure projects to facilitate trade and transit in energy and goods must be prioritized. The situation in Afghanistan 15. With regard to the situation in Afghanistan, we welcome the significant progress the country has made over the past 11 years, thanks to the work of the Afghan people and government, and the support of the international community. The foundations of market economy have been put in place, national institutions and armed forces with monopoly of legitimate use of force have been established, civil society has flourished, and the rights of the people of Afghanistan have been entrenched in the constitution. At the same time, we are concerned about the serious challenges still facing Afghanistan,